Cost of Living Comparison Between Goulburn and Elk Cost of Living Comparison Between Goulburn and Elk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,075 per month in Goulburn vs $1,395 in Elk, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,152 per month in Goulburn vs $2,031 in Elk, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,228 per month in Goulburn vs $2,666 in Elk, rent included.

Goulburn costs about 49% more than Elk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Goulburn and Elk sit above the global median – Goulburn by 55%, Elk by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 A$25.36

$8.22 zł 29.97

121.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.1 A$133

$40.31 zł 147

135.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 A$10.63

$6.68 zł 24.35

14.22%

Cappuccino

$2.97 A$4.14

$2.15 zł 7.82

38.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 A$4.06

$2.15 zł 7.85

35.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.92

$1.11 zł 4.04

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 A$9.25

$4.02 zł 14.64

65.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 A$9.28

$4.14 zł 15.10

60.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 A$1.52

$1.03 zł 3.74

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 A$3.20

$1.35 zł 4.91

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.82 zł 6.64

16.48%

Eggs

$3.91 A$5.45

$2.58 zł 9.40

51.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 A$12.94

$4.79 zł 17.45

93.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 A$10.97

$6.47 zł 23.59

21.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.77

$13.20 zł 48.11

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$1.09 zł 3.99

177.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 A$2.87

$1.88 zł 6.86

9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 A$2.30

$2.02 zł 7.36

-18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 A$5.15

$2.81 zł 10.24

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.42

$0.96 zł 3.51

155.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.14 zł 4.14

13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 A$1.79

$1.39 zł 5.05

-7.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 A$1.42

$0.57 zł 2.06

78.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.40 A$40.97

$5.34 zł 19.46

450.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 A$12.12

$7.74 zł 28.23

12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.16 A$5.80

$1.17 zł 4.27

255.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 A$4.40

$1.32 zł 4.82

139.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.65

$1.11 zł 4.05

136.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 A$90.5

$32.10 zł 117

102.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 A$3.14

$2.13 zł 7.75

6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.26

$0.52 zł 1.89

211.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.18 A$53.2

$13.44 zł 49.01

184.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.57

$1.77 zł 6.45

-36.16%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.4K A$39.6K

$33.2K zł 120.9K

-14.33%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K A$29.7K

$31.1K zł 113.5K

-31.50%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$98.5 A$137

$311 zł 1,132

-68.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.38 A$40.94

$6.92 zł 25.21

324.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 A$80.8

$13.35 zł 48.68

334.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.98 A$66.9

$35.98 zł 131

33.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 A$22.03

$19.76 zł 72.0

-19.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 A$10.76

$6.67 zł 24.32

15.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$911 A$1,269

$312 zł 1,137

192.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$16.9K

$5,355 zł 19.5K

126.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$106

$83.7 zł 305

-8.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.92 A$62.6

$27.23 zł 99.3

64.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 A$129

$85.2 zł 311

8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 A$154

$86.7 zł 316

27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 A$1,743

$551 zł 2,008

127.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 A$1,466

$459 zł 1,673

129.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 A$2,860

$933 zł 3,400

120.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 A$2,373

$858 zł 3,126

98.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,334 A$7,433

$2,295 zł 8,367

132.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,104 A$7,112

$2,077 zł 7,571

145.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,172 A$5,813

$1,320 zł 4,810

216.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-3.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Goulburn: May 30, 2026

Last update for Elk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,251 in Goulburn versus $551 in Elk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 216% higher in Goulburn, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Goulburn versus $40.00 in Elk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $208 – making Elk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Goulburn vs Elk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Goulburn is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,112 per month in Goulburn and $2,092 in Elk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Goulburn, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Goulburn and $40.00 in Elk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elk, where all-in costs run around $1,395, than in Goulburn at $2,075. In Elk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Goulburn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Elk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Goulburn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.